As is on topic "what is that the comunity want" in another thread started by snout... and i was thinking... how to do that the consumers (gamers, users... etc) be more closer with the active developers.

So, then see what is lacking in MRC that is a great successful in everywhere...
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THEY ARE THE BLOGS!
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So, as anyone here already has an login... what more easy for all the active developers to write some lines about what they are doing/planning/thinking.... and offcourse allow replies in the blog...... that will be so funny to read about all and knows the last advance in any project...


Offcourse... some developers (including me) already have a blog in some website.... but that isn't enought easy to reach from MRC that is where all the community is browsing. And in my website if i need to post some in the blog i needs to edit the HTML (I am too novice about www), that makes too hard to me to post something.

So, can be... an option in the menues for BLOGS and to access to a list of active blogs.... or can be that when one is at a forum... and click in the nickname of somebody if it has a blog will be open the blog... or the ID if he/she has a public ID... or both.

So, things that normally one don't writes in a forum... because, if i understand correctly, the forums are for disscusing a given topic and not for comment about the everyday develop... that if one does that in a forum one feels like "hey, I thinks that I already are spamming!"

Sounds like a good idea.

One thing I'm missing quite a lot is a good search engine. I almost never find what I want using the current search engine. It would be great to be able to do more advanced searches in forums, news, downloads etc

Nice suggestion though I doubt we will implement it. Let me explain why: these 'blogs' are maintained by users. MRC crew cannot moderate its contents and as we like to stay in control of anything running on the msx.org domain, that would be a problem. (you may call us control freaks if you like ) We used to have websites by non MRC crew on msx.org subdomains in the past, but it wasn't really a succes. 5 server moves ago we decided not to allow any non mrc websites on the msx.org domain. UserBlogs would be the same thing, therefore I doubt we will implement it.

But thanks for the suggestion, we'll put it on the agenda and discuss it internally.

I have another idea for MRC; set up a wiki with information for developers.
There is a lot of useful information in the forum archives, but as there are hundreds of topics it is often hard to find what you are looking for.
In a wiki the information would be easier to retrieve and the ideas from one topic could be assembled into one tutorial-like article rather than remain scattered among loads of postings.

Heh! I was just thinking about having the Ultimate MSX FAQ in Wiki form, so that people can edit it themselves...
But I don't have the means to set up a wiki atm....

Manuel: it can be a very good idea

I'm actually working on a few projects that have been in the fridge for quite a while. One of them being an MSX knowledgebase, which is not completely WIKI (moderated), but which does make it possible to make a database full of information on almost any MSX topic, including development, allowing all MRC members to submit new articles to them, or make corrections/additions to existing articles.

Although there are some reasons for my activity to be quite low at the moment and the launch of the Russian MRC has top priority at the moment, I expect we can release this feature in the relatively near future. People who would like to contribute to its initial contents, please do contact us!

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I'm actually working on a few projects that have been in the fridge for quite a while. One of them being an MSX knowledgebase, which is not completely WIKI (moderated), but which does make it possible to make a database full of information on almost any MSX topic, including development, allowing all MRC members to submit new articles to them, or make corrections/additions to existing articles.

Ah... MILC revisited

I wouldn't mind to put the FAQ on such a thing, if I can be moderator of the edits.
Also, I could check if the MiLC stuff could be moved on to it, if desirable.

Yeah, putting the MiLC-info online would be a good start !

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Yeah, putting the MiLC-info online would be a good start !

Ehm. MILC is online. But it's not that much, partially in dutch, and mostly a bunch of archived files (PMA, LZH an stuff), which makes it hard to access.

Having the FAQ and MiLC and all other MSX info (like e.g. the stuff in Portar and HansO's site in one big Wiki like structure -- preferably moderated, so it won't get clogged with all kinds of sh** -- is imho a Very Good Thing[TM]

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Having the FAQ and MiLC and all other MSX info (like e.g. the stuff in Portar and HansO's site in one big Wiki like structure -- preferably moderated, so it won't get clogged with all kinds of sh** -- is imho a Very Good Thing[TM]

Indeed a good idea. But a lot!!! of work though, requiring teamwork during a long period by dedicated MSX specialists to achieve quality and completeness.
I have spent several years publishing hardware and development info and feel I just scratched the surface of what it should be. And time spent on publishing is time lost for working yourself with the machines
Manual has spent at least the same time with the faq to reach the quality it has now.
And this kind of work is hardly as exciting or rewarding as creating an emulator, tool, game or cool hardware project, though it is fun to hear some of this info has been of use for a fellow MSX user

The MSX WIKI encyclopedia project . Reminds me of the first Foundation book by Asimov.

Perhaps a begin should be a searchable database with pointers to all the sites and files? Volunteers? Project manager, web designers, writers/scanners, proofreaders?

I could do some work with web developing, setting up, or designing, but since there are other people with better insight in the material, I'd refrain from that. Best would probably to just install a Wiki on a dedicated domain somewhere and start from there, maybe hack the Wiki software a bit. Then, write some scripts to migrate the currently existing contents into that Wiki. No need to reinvent the wheel